My partner and I arrive in Cairo on 4th December 2000 and have 9 days/9 nights to play with. We'd love to see Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and possibly Alexandria if that is at all possible. The problem we're having is this: no tour seems to fits our desires exactly and we've looked at all that is available. We could get around this by doing the travelling ourselves without the use of a tour company, but all the reading we have consists of horror stories and warnings of rip-offs, misleading information, and generaL nightmares. How easy is it to get around to all the major sites? Does anyone have a view on whether a tour would be better than trying to do all this oursleves? We were considering the "Nile Safari" but think the tour is fully booked. Any comments greatly accepted. Any feedback on the "Nile Safari"?
Help - what should I do in Egypt?
Re: Help - what should I do in Egypt?
Hi john,
Just to let you know, the Nile Safari of 10th December 2000 has three places left.
As to deciding to book a tour where everything is done for you, as oppose to;the hassles and trouble of arranging the trip yourself, getting up every morning looking to find accommodation for the next evening, trying to get round a site followd by every local claiming to be a guide and and and.... why not book a tour, leave the hassles to us and enjoy the country.*smile*)
Cheers
Marty Garrett
The Imaginative Traveller
Re: Help - what should I do in Egypt?
To Marty:
thanks for the reply. Unfortunately we're pretty much tied in to the 4th December for 9 days/nights. The only thing we could do would be to bring our arrival ddate forward one day for the 3rd December trip but I think that is full. Please confirm.
Regards
john
Re: Help - what should I do in Egypt?
Hi John,
Well sadly the NSa 3rd Dec is fully booked. And I can appreciate your position with regard to your dates.
If there is any change and you need assistance of any kind, just drop us a line and we will do what we can to assist.
Cheers
Marty
[b]
The Imaginative Traveller Online[/b]
Re: Help - what should I do in Egypt?
Hi John,
I have traveled these cities both on tours and not, and can tell you that unless you are extremely familiar with everything about the country - including customs, transportation and accommodations, I recommend a tour.
Egypt is delightful in so many ways, but it can also be a terrible hassle. If you appear to be unescorted by another Egyptian, you are fair game.
I don't mean to imply that it is danger - not the case - but you will soon believe that tourist have a big "sucker" stamped on their heads. The merchants/beggars, seem to have this contest that whoever can hassle the tourist most and get the most money from their pockets wins the lottery! Until you can walk the walk (as if nothing there interest you) and talk the talk (know how to bargain for everything from souvenirs to toilet paper in a washroom, with that "I'm not joking" look) then you are best to go with someone whose job it is to see to your interest.
On that note, I will tell you that you can find tour companies on every corner, but you have found the one here who is the most personable. Try to arrange something with these guys if you can!
Re: Help - what should I do in Egypt?
I vaguely remember when I was in Cairo that the American Express office, of all places, had organised one, two, five day tours to places of interest - probably not the cheapest but if you are tied to a time frame as it looks you are, might be the easiest? Just a thought....